Feeding mechanism for nut-cracking machines and the like



Nov. 18, 1930;

IT. J. MEYER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NUT CRQCKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1928 9 4;. III/IIIIII.

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- walls preferably being provided with. suit- ,mitting 'means operatively connecting said 90 Patented Nov. 18, 1930 i i 1 7 2 124 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE LEO J. MEYER, or s1". LOUIS, MISSOURI, AssIenoR F ONE-HALF TOJOHNI A. SCHULER,

. i 1 or sea. LOUIS, 'MISSOURI, I

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR NUT-CRACKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Application filed February 1, 1928. serial in. 250,975.

This invention relates generally to feeding tions 4 and 5 of each wall 2 are provided I mechanisms, and more particularly to feedwith concave faces so that each wall 2 has ing' mechanisms for nut cracking machines .a concave face 6 which extends continuously and the like, the predominant object of the from the upper end of the portion 3 to the 5 invention being to produce feeding mechlower end of the'portion 5. The walls'2 may-- anism which is simple in construction and; be formed. integral-with the walls 1, or, if which when in use will feed edible nuts posidesired, said walls 2 may be separate eletively and rapidly to the cracking elements ments secured to the walls lin any convenient of a nut cracking machine. manner to produce a unitary structure.

Figure 1 is a View of my improved feeding Mounted for: rotationbetween the side no mechanism shown partly in elevation and walls 1 of the member B at points between partly in vertical section,-the elements. by 'the respective muse? and the opposite ends which said mechanism is supported being. of said member, is apair of rotary feeding shownin section; I I elements 7 each of said rotary'feeding ele- Figure 2 is a plan view of the mechanism ments-coniprising a plurality of radial wings. as shown in Fig. 1, portionsof thesupporting provided each with a concave face 8 (Figs. 1 elements being broken away to conserve space and 2), and each of said wings having a. and fragments of the cracking elements or curved outer end 9'(Figs. 2 and 3), the curvadies of a nut crackingmachine being shown ture of which corresponds approximately to to illustrate the arrangement of thefeedthe curvature of the concave faces 6 of the170 ing mechanism'with r-espectthereto; walls2 (see Fig. '2); The. curvature: of the Figure 3 is a cross-section of the feeding downwardly curved portions 5- 0f the walls mechanism 2 is such that their centers approximately 1 Figure tis a fragmentary view showing coincide with the axesofthe rotary feeding the mechanism "for operating one of the elements 7,'and in view ofthis arrangement, shuttles of the feeding mechanism. itis' obvious that when the feeding elements 7 In the drawing, which illustrates one are being rotated, the curved outer ends of embodimentmerely of" my invention, A the wings thereof will move along the curved designates spaced-apart supportingelements faces of the wall portions 5 in close proximity which,if desired, may be parts of the frame thereto. l o r of the nut cracking machincwith which the 'Therotary feeding elements 7 are each fixfeeding mechanism. is associated. B desigedlymountedon a shaft 10 which is rotatably nates a member which includes p'airof versupported bythe side walls 1 and at one end tically disposed side walls 1, spaced apart of each of said shafts10,a bevel gear 11 is from each other as shown clearly in Figs; fixed thereto. The bevel gears 11, as shown $3 and 3, the opposite ends of each ofsaid clearlyin Fig. 2,*me'sh with bevel gears 12 side wallsbeingsecured by means of suitable mounted "on a drive shaft 13, which drive fastening devices such as bolts 2, to i'l1e-. re-- shaft 13 is subjected to axial rotation through spectivc supporting elements A, said side the instrumentality of suitable IIIOtIOll-UZLHS- ably shaped flanges formed thereon through shaftto'a moving part of the nut cracking which said fastening devices pass. Inter- 'machine(not shown) withwhich the feeding posed between the side walls 1 of'the memmechanismis associated, or 1f deslred, said her B is a pair of upwardly extended walls drive shaft 13 may be driven'by means'sepa- 2", each of said walls comprising an interrate from the nut cracking machine. mediate vertical portion 3, an nclined up- Located below'ea'chofthe rotaryfeedlng p er portion 4, and a downwardly curved elements 7 is a shuttle 14 eacho'fwhich is pivportion 5." Thein'clined upper portions 4 cf otallyssupported by the {side walls 1 at the .7 the-walls 2 meet at'the upper edge of the point designated by the reference character member B, as shown in'Fig. 1, andthe p0r= 15, there beinga shaft 16 to whiclrthe shuttle IGQ wardly through thehopper chains bein spaced apart, so that they is fixed rotatably supported by the side walls 1 at this point. Each of the shuttles pro vided with a concave face 17 of a shape to receive an edible nut, and when the shuttles are intheir elevated or closed positions, the concave faces 17 thereof are located innuediatcly at the lower ends of the concave faces (3 formed on the walls 2 (Fig. 1). Each of the shuttles i l has associated with it a contractile coil spring 18, th'eopposite ends of which are attached to the shuttles and to one of the zupporting elements Aor to some other v 1 and 4, and, of course, rotate with the shafts 7 10 on which they are mounted. Fixed at an end of each of the shafts 16 which support the shuttles let is an arm 20, said arms being so located on saidshafts that they are arranged immediately below and m vertlcal alinement W1th the camsl"). Also, each of the'shuttles 14 is provided with a pin 21, said pins each being located'with respect to the adjacent parts of the mechanism, shown in Fig. 3, and each ofthe wings of the rotary elements 7 being cut away, as shown at the points designated by the reference character 22in Fig. 3 to permit said wings to. move with respect to saidpin 21 without striking same.

Arranged to the rear of the member B, as

shown in Fig.3,isa hopper 23 adapted to re-.

ceive the edible nuts to be fed by the mechanism disclosed herein'to the nut cracking machine with which said mechanism is associated, said hopper being provided with an inclined wall 24. and having anopening 2: at 1ts;b.ottom. 26 designates endless sprocket chi-tins which operate over sprocket wheels 2? and sprocket wheels 28 at the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the hopper '23, said as shown in Fig. 2, will discharge nuts into the compartments within the member B in which the respective rotary elements 7 are located. The sprocket chains 26 and the sprocket wheels27 and 2-8 are soarrai it the flights 26 ofsaidsprocket cliai upin Contact with the inclined wall 24thereof, said sprocket chains passing through the opening at the lower end f of said hopper. The sprocket chains 26 each hasattached to it plurality of buckets 2'9 spaced equidistant throughout the length thereof, and interposed between "each ad acent pair of buckets.

sprocket: chain and fixed to said sprocket mes,

"sition after a bucket or 29 of each chain 26 is a nub 30. The sprocket wheels 27 and 28 are, of course, fixedly mounted on rotatable shafts which are suitably supported, and motion is imparted to one of said shafts by suitable means which may be cooperatively connected to moving parts of the nut cracking machine with which the feeding mechanism is associated, whereby the sprocket chains will be driven. It is obvious, of course, that if desired, the sprocket chains may be driven by means separate from the nut cracking machine.

Fixed to the hopper 23 adja ent to the opening 25 at the bottom thereof is a flexible M V This gate is fixed at the point indixated by the reference character 32 to the hopper and normally extends across the opening 25 so that all of said opening except those portions thereof whichare occupied by the sprocket chains 26 is closed. The gate 31 is so shaped and is formed of such resilient material that it may be flexed to permit the nubs SO and the buckets 29 on the sprocket chains 26 to pass through the opening 25 as said sprocket chains are in motion, and said gate will immediately snap back to its normal ponu-b has passed beyond same, so as to prevent escape of nuts from the hopper through the opening 25. In view of this arrangement, it is plain that the opening 25 will always be closed against the passage of nuts therethrough.

\Vhile the feeding mechanism disclosed herein may be used with great efficiency with a number of nut cracking machines now in common use, it is intended particularly for use with the nut cracking machine disclosed in an application for U. S. Letters Patent bearing Serial No.. 221,980, filed by me on September 26th, 1927. The nut cracking ma chine disclosed in the application for patent referred to is a double-acting machine, said machine having a pair of stationary nut cracking elements or dies With respect to which a pair of reciprocatory nut cracking elements or dies move, and the nuts are gate 31.

cracked between the co operating dies as the ieciprocatory dies move into close proximity to the stationary dies. In the drawing, I have illustrated only enough of the nut cracking machineto enable a clear understanding of .the operation of the feeding mechanism to be obtained, the stationary nut cracking elements or dies of the nut cracking machine being designated by the reference character C, said dies being supported by portion D of the frame of the machine. Also in the V 7 drawings, E designates the reciprocatory nut cracking elements or dies which move toward he stationary dies C to crack the nuts therebetween. The reciprocatory dies, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, are located so that they reciprocate immediately above the concave faces 17 of the shuttles 14, the sidewalls 1 being provide-d wlth'openings 1' formed therethrough, through which said dies may extend. v M a r In the operation of my improved fee-ding mechanism, nuts will be placed in thehopper 23 and the sprocket chains 26 Wlll be set in motion. As/the buckets 29 on the sprocket chains 26 pass through the nuts in the hopper, each bucket will pick up a nut-,the nubs 30 preventing more than one nut being carried by. a single bucket." As each bucket reaches the point whereit passes over the associated sprocket wheel 27, the nut carried thereby will roll' from said bucket andsaid nut willrfall between the'end walls lof'the member B and will drop between'apair of wings on the associated rotary feeding element 7. The rotary'feeding element will at this time be rotating in the direction indicated by the'arrows in Fig. 1 and the nut willbe carried downwardly by said rotary feeding element, said nut being rolled slowly. as the rotary feeding element is rotated along the concave face 6 of the associated wall 2,

and-this rolling action, together with the v shape ofthe concave face 6, and the concave faces on the wings of the rotary feeding eleinentovillcause the nut to rotate about its major axis instead of rolling over endfor end. VVhen the wing of the rotary feeding element which is carrying the nut reaches its,

lowermost position, the nut is deposited on the concave face 17 of the associated shuttle which at this time will be in position to receivesaid nut and the rotary feeder wing which carried said nut downwardly Wlll con-" tinue its rotary movement upwardly. The

operation of the nut cracking machine is so timed that immediately as the nut is depos ited on theshuttle 14,.the associated recipro-;

eating die E moves towardthe associated stationary die C, and asthe nut is interposed between the co-operatingends of said dies, the shell of said nutwill be cracked. The shuttle 1 .;is maintained in 1ts elevated pos1- tion by the arcuate faces 19 of the cam 19 contacting with the arms 20, as-shown in Fig. 1, and iinn'iediately as the nut. is gripped wings being movable with respect to said face by the dies C and E. the arcnateface 19 of the-cam which was in contact with the arm 20 will pass beyond said arm and thereby per initthe coil spring 18to swing the shuttle downwardly in-the arc of a circle so that the nut will be discharged dwwnwardly from the cam 19 will then pick up the arm 20, swing ing it in an 'arcof a circle, thereby rotating the shuttle to its elevated position, when it will receive the next nut carried downwardly by the associated rotary feeder 7. This op eration is continued during the operation of the feeding mechanism, each nut being carried downwardly by a rotaryfeeder and be ber being trippably ing deposited on the associated shuttle where it is cracked by the dies of the nut cracking machine, and the shuttle then being tripped to discharge the cracked nut.

It sometimes happens that a cracked nut will adhere to the ends of the dies after the cracking operation, and if this should happen, said nut will be struck and dislodged by one ofthe pins 21- which pass between the co-opcrating dies immediately after the shuttle has" 7 beenreleased and before the'reciprocating dies have been completely retracted.

vVhile I have'shown and described a feeding mechanism intended for use with a double-actin'g nut cracking machine, it isto beiao understood that I do not limit myself to such an arrangement, as it is obvious thatI may construct feeding mechanisms intendedf-or use with a nut cracking machine having a single nut crackingunit, and also that I may-""35 construct feeding mechanisms adapted for use with nutcracking machines havingmore .tary: element, feeding means for conducting art cles to g be fed to said rotary element, a member arranged to receive articles from said rotary element, the last mentioned member'being trippably supported to effect the discharge therefrom of articles being fed,

and means for tripping said member.

2. Feedingmechanism comprising a rotary element i having a plurality of: radial w ngs,

a curved face with respect to which said wingsi loo move in] close proximity thereto, feeding means for conducting articlesto be fed to saidrotary element, a member arranged to receive articles from said rotary element, said memdischarge therefrom of articles being fed, and

.means for tripping said member.

3. Feeding mechanism comprising a rotary element havlng aplurallty of radialzwin'gs,

a face curved inthedirection of travel of i o.

saidrotary element and concave in a direction transverse to such direction of travel, said and in close proximity thereto, feeding means cles fromsaid rotary element, said member I beingtrippably supported to effect the discharge therefrom of articles. being fed.; and means for tripping said member; I y 4. Feeding mechanism comprising arotary element having a" plurality of radial wings each of which is 'providedwith a-conc ave face, a face curved in the direction oftravel of said rotary element and concave in adi-IES rection transverse to'such directionof travel, said wingsv being movable withrespect to the last mentioned face and in; close proximity thereto, feeding means for conducting articles to be fed tosaidrotaryzelement,'a mem supported to effect theij 5 ber arranged. to receive articles from said ro tajryelemcnt, sa d member being trlppably supported to effect the discharge therefrom of articles being fed, and means for tripping said member. 7 v

5. Feeding mechanism comprising a rotary element having a plurality of radial wings each of which is provided with an arcuate outer edge, a face curved in the direction of travel of said rotary element and concave in a direction transverse to such direction of travel, the curvature at the outer edges of said wings being approximately coincident with-the curvature of said concave face, and

the curved edgesof said wings being inevfable with respect to said curved and concave face in close proximity thereto, feeding means for conducting articles to be fed to said rotary element, amember arranged to receive articles from said rotary element, said member being trippably supported to effect the. discharge therefrom of articles being fed, and means for tripping said member.

6. Feeding mechanism comprising a rotary element having a pluralityof radial wings each of which is provided with an areuatc outer edge and a concave side face, a face 1 curved in the direction of travel of said rotary element and concave 1n adn'ection transverse to such direction of travel, the vcurvai ture at the outer edges of said Wings being approximately coincident with the curvature of the last mentioned concave faceyand the curved edges of said Wings being movable with respect to saidlcurved andco'ncave face in close proximity thereto, feeding means for to -be fed tois'aid rotary conducting articles element, a member arranged to receive a: cles from said rotary element, said met being trippably supported to e'dect'the c 0 charge therefrom of articles being fed, and

means for tripping said member.

7. Feeding mechanism comprising a rotary element'having a plurality of radialavings eaclrof which is provided with an arcuate outer edge, a face curved inthe direction of I travel of said rotary element and concave in a direction transverseto such direction of travel, the curvature at the outer edges of said wings being approximately coincident with the curvature ofsaid. concave face, and the curved edges of said wings being movable with respect to said curved and concave face for conducting articles to be fed-tosaid rotary element, said feeding means comprising an endless traveling element provided with a plurality of carr1ers, a hopper through which element having a plurality of radial wings,

a'curved face with respect to which said wings move in close proximity thereto, feeding means for conducting articles to be fed to said rotary element, a member arranged to receive articles from said rotary element, and means including a cam for tripping said member to effect discharge therefrom of articles being fed.

f9. Feeding mechanism comprising a rotary elementhaving a plurality of radial wings,

ea-curved face with respect to which said wings move in close proximity thereto, feeding means for conducting articles to be fed to saidrotary element, a member arranged to.

receive articles from said rotary element, an arm movable with said member, means tending to move said member to its open position, and arotary cam co-operat ng with said arm and arranged to maintain said member in its closed position, said cam being operable to permit the last mentioned means to move said member to an open position when an article supported thereby will be discharged therefrom. V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 7

LEO J. MEYER.

in close proxnnity thereto,- fceding means 

